Summer Battery Failure

Why has my battery failed in the summer, I thought only cold weather kills batteries...

Due to our relatively mild weather in the UK most people experience their battery failures on a cold frosty morning when engines are harder to turnover.

The reality is that both extremes of temperature have a big part to play in battery failure, and it is the largest contributing factor in hot countries.

A prolonged hot spell of say 25 - 30 degrees celsius can easily mean under bonnet temperatures of 70 to 80+ degrees.

What does this actually mean for the battery ?

The higher the under bonnet temperature the more corrosive the acid becomes, so it will "eat" away at the plates and active material of a battery faster in hotter conditions.

Water loss will also naturally increase, many high quality modern batteries have plate construction that allows for very low water loss and with features such as labryinth condensing lids that also helps, but nonetheless the increase in temperature will lead to increase in loss of fluid. Which will in turn increase the concentration of the acid in the battery and also led to a more corrosive electrolyte which will advance the failure of a battery.

So don't only take advatage of FREE BATTERY CHECKS in the winter, get your battery checked in the summer too. If your changing your tyres, brakes or getting a service by your local mechanic or garage, get them to test your battery. Most places with electronic test equipment will be more than happy to check the battery and let you know its state of health.